Scented Shards
by small-cub
Summary: Lina moves to New York for a fresh start, ignoring the pain of her father's suicide, only to find that things could only get more dangerous. Fighting for her life, she meets three mysterious boys. boys from circle midnight. They all have an obsession...
1. New School

Disclaimer's Note: I do not own "The Night World Series" it unfortunately belongs to someone else: L.J. Smith (author mayhem, right here) anyway, bla bla the story plot however is mine. Thanks LJ

Author's note:

Pfft, I am not an author and feel awkward using that description… but anyhoo, this is small-cub presenting her **first **fanfiction! (cue: screaming fangirls- lol, I joke) love constructive criticism, tell me what it needs, doesn't need, any requests' bla bla (you know drab)

Happy reading!

Scented Shards: Chapter 1

Lina was cautious not to show any pain as she bent down to retrieve her books from the pavement. The bus door opened with a loud clack. Lina carefully climbed the steps as the door slammed shut behind her. She walked down the isle looking for a spare seat. Plenty of people offered her one. _What a nice neighbourhood_, she thought absently. _I thought people said New Yorker's were mean_.

Lina choose a seat next to a boy with fluffy, light brown hair and laughing brown eyes.

"Thanks a million" she said as she slowly sat down.

"No worries" he replied cheerfully.

Lina glanced out the window.

New York was a big city was bigger and busy than she had imagined. _How on earth am I going to get a job, seriously?_ She thought with awe.

"You don't look like you're from around here" the boy said with a smile. Lina struggled to fight the oncoming blush.

"Um, I'm not. Is it that obvious? She asked sheepishly.

"Well, your eyes are as wide as saucers when you look out the window, and it looks like they're glued there too." His grin grew even larger. "What's your name, honey?"

Wow. No one in Oregon had called her that, not even her Dad. She hoped to god she wasn't bright red.

"Uh, Lina." She replied with a smile.

"Cute name. I'm Freddie by the way, it's nice to meet you" he stuck out his hand.

Lina took it gently in her own hand and gave a little shake.

"Nice to meet you Freddie." This time, it was his turn to blush.

There we go. First day of school and Lina had already made her first friend. Who said New York wasn't friendly?

Freddy had politely helped her out of the bus, although it was totally unnecessary, Lina enjoyed this mock gentleman. Especially since she didn't mind a helping hand when she was in a little pain, if nobody knew of course.

"So what's your first class, hon'?" Freddy said, bounding along beside her. _I wonder what's got him so excited_, Lina thought.

"We might have a class together, hopefully. Maybe I can ask to be your buddy while you're here…" he contemplated with himself.

"Uh, I think I have History first, room 601?" Lina looked up at Freddy's gigantic grin.

"Oh my god! We do have a class together! That is so cool!" His eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. _Is he on steroids or something? He can't honestly be this excited to have a class with me, unless…-_

"Hey, we can totally have lunch together too- if you want…" he trailed off, suddenly noticing his over the top excitement. He went a bright scarlet and laughed nervously, then hurried to correct himself.

"Uh, you don't have to, if you don't want to… I mean, um…" he mumbled in embarrassment.

Although it was totally cute seeing this guy fumble over his earlier enthusiasm, she thought she'd save him the trouble and contribute.

"So, Freddy, could you please help me with my locker?" Lina said, feigning innocence, "because I have a little trouble sometimes." _Nervous little laugh, batt eyelashes…_

It totally worked.

He immediately relaxed and smoothly said "No problem, hon. If you need anything, you know who to ask" moving his eyebrows up and down.

_What was that?_ Lina had to struggle to suppress her laughter. No wonder she'd made a friend so quickly. This guy was beyond desperate to impress her. Lina was clueless as to why. _Maybe he has a mental condition…_

All these appalling thoughts propelled around her head as Freddy continued to be the finest gentleman as the day went on.

Opening her looker.

Carrying her books.

Whispering the answers in her ear.

Opening doors for her… _do New Yorker's do this for all their newies?_

Before Lina even thought the question, she knew the answer: _No. _

_No they didn't._

Lina couldn't believe her luck. _Things may finally go all right for me after all._

Freddy couldn't stop talking to Lina during History. They had been told to "shut the hell up" roughly five times, even though Freddy was the one talking ninety percent of the time. Lina was grateful when the bell rang for second period. She had quickly escaped him and rushed off to her next class.

_Room 607 English Mr. Greene_, her timetable read. _Oh how I do love English_, Lina's thoughts dripped with sarcasm. Moving to a new school in the middle of the semester was bound to wrap her in English homework and countless amounts of assessments to catch up with. _Great._

She looked up at the door. Room 607. _This is it, my personal hell for the next 45 minutes._

She took a deep breath, fully conscious of the pain that spread across her waist, mumbling as she opened the door.

Every eye went towards her and the class became silent.

Damn. She was late.

Lina hadn't a clue what to say. _"Hi! I'm Lina and I'm new here. I just moved all the way here from Oregon because my dad committed suicide, and now I have to live with my sick mom, here in New York. Nice to meet you."_ Yeah. Right. You could bet on hell Lina wasn't going to introduce herself.

Mr. Greene shifted his glasses to the top of his nose and pointing to the door announced "Class, this is a new student, Lina. She's from Oregon. So, everybody make her feel welcome." Then turning to Lina, "So, Lina, why don't you say something about yourself to the rest of the class?"

_In hell!_

"Uh…I like gardening…" then the whole class cracked up laughing.

"What!" she said indignantly. So she had a thing for plants, big deal.

Someone yelled out "Ooh _la-di-da_, I _garden_!" trying not to laugh.

"_Congratulations_! What? Expecting a pat on the back? Or maybe a certificate?" she replied him in the same tone.

He immediately shut up, but the rest of the class laughed even harder, some slapping hands and wooting.

"_She's good!"_

"_You so got owned Brad!"_

Lina ignored the remarks as she walked towards her seat and carefully sat down. She took a breath of relief as she accomplished the task, without any pain.

As soon as the class quieted down, Mr. Greene spoke directly to Lina.

"Don't stress too much about trying to catch up, I'll give you plenty of time." Clearly, this teacher was a new-student-butt-kisser.

"Thanks" she replied.

Hell began.

It was in the middle of English, when Lina had unfortunately dropped her pencil on the floor.

"_Shit_" she mumbled. Lina made an as inconspicuous attempt as she could, to position herself in such a way that didn't require bending over to retrieve the pencil. Behind her, she could hear someone laugh under their breath. _Okay, not so inconspicuous. Damn, where's Freddy when you need him?_ Lina thought as she struggled to just reach the tip.

An arm brushed hers to grab the pencil for her. She excused the shock with relief. _Well, speak of the devil…_

"Hey, Fred, not that I don't appreciate it, but I can't help but wonder… You've been a real gentleman being nice and kind to me all day, but why? You hardly know me." Lina asked as she, with great effort, sat up.

But as she turned to face Freddy, bright lavenders stared back at her. Wait, they were _eyes_, violet coloured _eyes_. Framed by thick, dark eyelashes and glossy black hair that looked lit it belonged to a fallen angel.

He was leaning forward to a point where her face was a breath away from his. He smelt like herbs and incense. _Home…_

"I said, 'Lina, could you please tell us the famous poet who gave birth to Don Juan?'" Mr. Greene broke Lina from her spell. She quickly turned, her long ash-blonde hair flinging across her red cheeks, acting as a thin curtain, as she tried franticly to come up with an answer.

"Uh…" Lina heard a low, soft whisper behind her.

"_Shakespeare" _

"Sh-Shakespeare?" she said in a soft voice.

Mr. Greene smiled and continued with his tirade. Lina was tempted to look behind her to say thanks but didn't want to be caught staring at the raven-haired boy with the hypnotic violet eyes.

For the rest of the period, Lina couldn't think straight. All she could think about were two things: The boy behind her, and trying to keep her head looking at the board in front of her.

Again, it was a relief to Lina when the bell rang.

She scrambled her books together, and not caring about soreness, she ran out the door.

And collided with Freddy.

Freddy escorted her to the cafeteria during lunch. Lina tried not to search the room for the Black haired boy, but she did anyway. He wasn't there. Lina attempted to hide her disappointment as Freddy offered her to go before him in the line to get food.

"Thanks Fred" she said cheerfully, squeezing his hand as she walked passed him. _His hand was sweaty_. _How cute_.

"Your welcome Lina, anytime." He shrugged his shoulders in a jerky movement and couldn't seem to stop fidgeting. He was tapping his fingers on his leg and was looking all around the cafeteria, as if he hadn't seen it before.

"So, I didn't get to ask if you enjoyed History" turning back to Lina, she could see his blush as he smiled. Then upon seeing her amused expression, he quickly added "not that I did, I hate history. It's _so_ boring. I mean who really cares about 'who-bombed-who?' That was like, so yesterday…" Freddy laughed nervously.

Lina selected some veggie soup. Freddy ordered pizza. He led her over to a vacant table near the side windows. Freddy politely pulled out her seat for her then slumped down in his own, beginning to scoff down his pizza.

Lina softly cleared her throat. "Freddy, thanks for being so eager to make me feel welcome. I really do appreciate it."

Freddy's face turned a deep scarlet before he replied, "It was my pleasure, Lina. I know coming to a new school can be really hard if there's no-one there to show you around and be nice to you and stuff." He took a few more bites of his pizza, which he was close to finishing. Lina looked down at her untouched soup.

"I'm really glad you chose to sit next to me on the bus, because some people, well I should say a _lot_ of people here are arseholes and can't be trusted." His face immediately fell at that.

"Anyone in particular I should know about?" Lina asked curiously, keeping her voice down.

Freddy glanced around the room. He glared towards something behind Lina.

"Them" he growled.

Lina had never expected Freddy to be like this, _ever_. She didn't think he was capable.

She turned.

She didn't even have to ask whom Freddy was referring to, because she saw them straight away.

The three of them.

The tall boys walked into the cafeteria with a swagger, which clearly said something about their status and confidence. All three of them we're dressed in black shirts with dark jeans that clung low on their hips.

The shorter of the boys, still quite tall, had deeply tanned skin with gold-brown eyes and messy black hair that looked as if he'd gotten out of bed and simply walked out the door without the slightest care about how he looked. Who could blame him? He looked like Taylor Launter.

The slightly taller boy had blonde hair that was swept across his face in a manner that was sure to make girls drool on his black sketchers. He had sleepy blue eyes gave away the slightest hint of arrogance.

Then Lina's eyes drifted to the tallest of the three.

It was him.

It was _him_…

Freddy's voice made her jump.

"I hate them" he spat, "they think they own everything. Arseholes."

Lina tore her eyes away. Freddy looked like a mad puppy; Angry and harmless.

"Have the done anything in particular?" Lina asked him, "Did they hurt you?"

Freddy looked at her, then his mouth relaxed into a smile.

"Not to me, but they do threaten people if the don't get their way, although I don't think anyone would do that because they're the most popular kids in the entire school. I think they _could_ hurt people. They look as if they're in a gang."

Lina turned to look at them again.

The blonde haired boy was staring right at her. His blue eyes like ice. She instantly felt cold beneath that stare.

He nodded his head at her and winked. Her insides melted. The other two turned to look at whom their friend was flirting with. The tanned boy also nodded and winked, flashing a grin, she thought, girls would kill for. But the other boy just continued to stare blankly.

They began a conversation she couldn't hear, and she began to feel awkward staring at them. She turned back to face Freddy. He looked sullen.

"What's wrong, Freddy?" she asked.

"Nothing" he shook his head, "I just thought that maybe they'd try something on you." He looked up shyly.

"I don't know what you mean Fred" Lina saw him blush.

"Well, you're beautiful…" he mumbled.

"No I'm not" she replied automatically. She'd said that to every boy who called her that, even her dad...

She held back the tears that welled in her eyes.

Freddy took it the wrong way and began trying to explain himself.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you! I really meant it. I swear!" he put a hesitant hand on her back and patted her gently between the shoulder blades. "You really are beautiful." Freddy looked horror stricken, as if he'd actually offended her.

Lina giggled at his hysterics. And he gave a confused smiled back and slumped back in his chair with relief, raking a nervous hand through his curly brown hair.

Surely this poor kid had never had a reaction like that from a girl, she thought with amusement. Poor guy.

Things got even more complicated for Freddy as the day went on. Lina and Freddy walked to their next class, Spanish. She had never learnt any Spanish before now and struggled to keep up with the teacher. Thankfully, Freddy was a big help by, every five seconds, translating everything in her ear. By the end of the class, she thought, Freddy ended up teaching her more than the teacher did.

The bell rang and everyone gathered their books together, finally able to go home. Some students stayed to hand in some work to the teacher.

Lina and Freddy pack up their books and she was desperate to test something.

She dropped her pencil case on the ground.

Freddy dove for it. "Here you go" he said, smiling a goofy grin.

Lina couldn't hold it in anymore. She blurt out "Why are you so nice to me Freddy? I truly do appreciate it, but your acting as if I'll hate you if you don't try desperately to impress me." She added, "I'm not that mean."

Freddy froze. The remainder of the class turned to stare. There was silence.

And then Freddy spoke.

"Well, the truth is…" he said in a shy voice "when I first saw you, I… err" he reached behind his head to scratch his neck, then began tapping his fingers nervously on his jeans, looking in all directions of the classroom, all but her eyes. "I thought that you were…" and then he decided to start again.

"When you first got onto the bus I thought you were the most pretty looking girl I had ever seen in Manhattan and so I offered you a seat and when I got speaking to you" he took a breath, "you were really cute and nice and shy and the most gorgeous person I had ever met and I really wanted to impress you so that we could be friends and maybe you would like me too because I've never met a girl like you…" he gasped for breath. The look on his face indicated that he probably never intended to say that to her face, let alone the first day they met.

Lina could feel her cheek twitching. _Oh. My. God! He just declared his feelings towards me in a totally blatant way… For the love of god… do not. Laugh._

Lina could hear people gagging at the front of the classroom. Including the teacher. Freddy had gone bright red and was looking down as his shoelaces.

Lina couldn't forgive herself. This guy had been unswervingly kind to her on her first day and ended up getting laughed at._ Well Freddy, ask and you shall receive…_

Lina carefully detached herself from her seat and stood on her tippee-toes to enclose her arms around his neck. Freddy looked up, confused.

It was now or never. She knew people were watching but that was her punishment for almost laughing at this poor guy.

She pulled his head down towards her and tilted her head to match his. Her lips brushed over his, but there was no response. It was like kissing stone. His eyes were still open in shock. _Oh god, I just made it worse_, she thought dismally.

Lina detached her arms, turned to grab her books and walked out, unaware of the violet eyes that stared from outside the windows.

Author's note:

Reviews plzzz? Do you think I should have the next chapter in _his (Mista raven-hared dude whos kinda creepily/ stalkerish watching through windows) _POV? Cause I am seriously thinking about it. In the next chapter: there will be more info on her story, why she's in pain? Some creep who has a serious obsession (and no, it isn't poor Freddy ;)) and finally more on the mysterious boys… well that just gave it away now didn't it.. Reviews are wanted please

Small- cub


	2. Fire and Rain

Disclaimer's Note: I do not own "The Night World Series" it unfortunately belongs to someone else: L.J. Smith (author mayhem, right here) anyway, bla bla the story plot however is mine. Thanks LJ

Author's note:

Hey, sorry it took me so long, thanks if you haven't given up yet :) thanks to my first reviewer **bookworm77101 **hope you all like this chapter, I swear I wont take so long writing the next one

Happy reading!

Chapter 2: fire and rain

The sun poured into Lina's bedroom. The room was painted a bright blue, and everything else; the curtains, the bed, the bureau, were also blue. A few years ago, when her parents were still together, her mother insisted on having matching furniture. When she left for the city, Lina couldn't be bothered to change it.

Lina moaned in complaint.

"Come on!" she said, hiding under the covers, "it's only six in the morning!" Lina angrily flung the covers back and sat up. She winced and sucked in air through her teeth as her feet touched the cold wooden floor beneath her. She quickly ran over to the bathroom and shrugged off her clothes for a hot shower.

She dressed in plain jeans and a white t-shirt. She put her still wet hair, into a loose ponytail, some wisps of ash blonde hair escaping into her face. Then as a last minute decision, slipped on some odd socks to keep her feet warm.

She slid down the banister of the staircase and landed softly in the entryway in front of the kitchen. Then a thought occurred to her.

_I'll make breakfast in bed for Dad! That'll make him take care of his health, if he just knows that _someone_ cares for him_.

She got to work with bacon and eggs and readied a tray while she cooked them. She hummed softly while she poured the juice. _All done, _she thought happily.

She carefully picked up the tray and carrying all its contents without spilling them, she slowly went up the stairs. When she came to her father's room, cautiously resting the tray between the wall and her chest with one hand supporting it, she knocked on the door.

"Dad?" she called. No answer. _Maybe he's still asleep. I don't want to wake him_, she thought. She was about to go back down when she decided that she'd just leave it on his bedside table and wait until he woke up.

She hesitantly opened the door just a crack, then opened it wide.

The sheets were let lying in chaotically on the floor.

The bed was empty.

_Empty? You've got to be kidding,_ She thought miserably, _He's probably already gone down to the pub._

Lina sat down on his bed, and ate by herself, not even hungry.

The sky gradually turned from orange to grey and rain gently pattered against the glass. Lina sat in her father's faded, overstuffed lounge chair quietly reading away her problems. Her mother, who had left for New York when she turned thirteen. "I'm so sick of this place, George! Nothing happens!" she yelled as she ripped open her suitcase, "I'm leaving to start living a new life where I can actually _live_!" she hadn't even noticed her daughter standing in the doorway, watching as her mother walked out on them.

She snapped her book shut. It was raining heavier now. She sighed in frustration, not being able to tend the garden and just sitting here waiting for her father to get home. She got up, lightly chucking the book onto the couch opposite the one she was sitting on. _I need to walk around, _she thought, _do something! Maybe make a sandwich for dad when he gets home_, then she dismissed it thinking he could do that himself if he was still hungry.

Lina had a anxious feeling that just kept growing in the trench of her stomach. She couldn't sit still. _That's it…_

She slipped into some sneakers and threw open the door, the cold giving her refreshing chills down her spine.

Lina ran out the door, slamming it shut as she passed. The rain seeped into her hair and clothes. She jogged down the wet gravel driveway until she reached the letterbox sitting on the edge of the main road. She stopped and thought for a moment.

_What am I doing?_ Salty rain slowly rolled down her cheeks. She heard distant thunder rock the sky. She was soaked to the bone, her hair falling out of her ponytail and sticking to her face. Lina felt a violent shiver roll down her back and arms right up to her blue tinged fingers. It was getting dark now, and she was standing in the rain, asking for a cold.

_What are you waiting for Lina?_ She asked herself. Down the road she saw headlights. As the car came into view, she recognised it as her dad's Ford F150 pick-up truck. She turned on her heels. No way was she going to let her father know she was pointlessly standing in the rain.

The door slammed behind her, but she was already up the stairs, dripping from head to toe. She hoped her Dad wouldn't notice that. She heard the front door slam open loudly as she just managed to escape to her bedroom. _Think fast_, she ordered her brain. _Got it._

Her Father was trudging up the stairs when she re-opened the door, dressed in a fluffy white bathrobe.

"Hey Dad!" she said cheerfully, "I made you breakfast in bed this morning, but you had already gotten up so I…" she stopped. Her father reached the top of the stairs, turned, and then trudged towards his room, slowly. Lina's face fell as she took in his condition. "_Dad…"_ she whispered.

She jumped as the door fell behind him, and clicked shut. She went back into her bedroom and sunk down onto her bed, with her face buried in her pillow. First she was having a beautiful morning, and now it was turning into a nightmare.

Five seconds later, she heard something smash. She jumped up and raced down the hall.

"Dad!" she yelled, "Are you alright?" But she all ready knew the answer.

The door was thrown open, revealing her father's ragged face.

He was drunk.

"Liiinaa…" he slurred. She took a step back.

"Lina…" he tried again. She turned and ran down the hall, hearing her father's sluggish attempts to go after her, clashing into walls, knocking over picture frames as he went.

She halted at the end of the hallway, coming up against a floor to ceiling window.

"You look just like _her_…" he growled. _Oh god…_ she knew what this was about, and it wasn't going to end up well. She faced away from her father, looking for a distraction outside the window. The flowers looked happy with their drink, she was happy for her babies. But she couldn't escape her horror at her Father. Her fear.

Tears escaped her eyes. She let them roll down her chin. _Let him see how he's hurt me…_

"Look at me!" he yelled, and yanked her wet hair. She let out a strangled gasp.

She squeezed her eyes shut against the pain.

Lina heard her father take in a few deep ragged breaths.

"Fine" he grumbled and gently let her hair fall from his grasp.

She was about to take a worn out breath when he suddenly roared "_Fine then! Look out the window!" _and gave a violent shove.

First she heard a loud crash.

Then she felt the fire of pain.

And then felt the feeling of falling.

And again, pain.

Her robe was wet. But it wasn't the rain that splattered kindly on her head. Giving water to her thirsty roses. It was the fire she felt at her waist. Lying face first in the wet soil she nursed happily from day to day. She thought about this to make the pain go away.

And then she heard the echo of a gunshot that mocked the rolling thunder above and her vision became a blur of salty rain.

Lukos' mouth was moving, Kanrel was sure of it. He just didn't hear any words.

Behind him, he heard people playing a lousy game of pool. At the bar, a werewolf was filling drinks.

He came back to Lukos.

"What?" he cut in, tonelessly.

Lukos looked annoyed. "You weren't even listening, were you?" he accused in an angry voice.

Kanrel regarded his friend. He was a head shorter than himself. Quite short for a werewolf, he thought. His eyes were a muddy dark brown and he wore a permanent stench that you could only describe as: wet dog. He was one of those people who were either happy and arrogant or angry and petulant. Right now, he was the last one. Kanrel swore he saw his eye twitch.

"I tried I swear" Kanrel replied, his voice implying boredom.

Lukos looked like he was about to say something, but then turned away to the people playing pool. The dim lighting showed the petulant scowl on his face.

Kanrel gave up the babysitting and turned towards his drink and took a large mouthful of scotch. He loved the burning sensation as it washed down his throat. He let out a sigh as he sat the cup back down on the bar with a muffled thud. He could still smell the scented wax that lingered on his hands.

At that moment, he turned to see Teak come parading down the dimly lit stairs with a big smile on his face.

"Well at least someone had a good night," Kanrel said to his friend, a mischievous smile appearing on his lips. Teak gave an appreciative nod at his raven-haired friend.

"Well, it's not what you think." He said with a smile. He came up to the bar next to Kanrel and Lukos. He took a moment to look at the werewolf.

"What's got you tail in a not?" he asked Lukos, "Furball?" Kanrel smiled.

"NO" he replied, annoyed. "That cats, ya' douche bag!"

Teak grimaced. "Well then," he turned to Kanrel, "I think I might have a girl over for tea," he said mischievously.

"Oh? And who might that be?" Kanrel replied before taking another swig of his drink. _At least one person here's interesting_, he thought.

Teak's eyes glinted like razor "…The new girl-"

Lukos' face was suddenly sprayed with alcohol.

He turned on Kanrel.

"WHAT THE HELL!" he yelled, swinging a fist towards him. He gracefully ducked and Teak caught the flying fist in his hand. As soon as the rest of the bar caught what was going on and the fact that Teak was drenched and couldn't throw a punch, there was booming laughter.

Teak fell onto the floor laughing, trying to grab the bar for support. Kanrel was still recovering from the shock, but tried not to show it. Teak looked like he was about to piss himself_. Can vampires do that?_ He thought absently.

Dripping wet, Lukos angrily stormed up the stairs. Kanrel helped his friend get off the floor and onto a barstool. Teak finally calmed down and turned to Kanrel, still grinning.

"Oh man! You _have_ to do that more often" he said, "Drowning puppies has never been so funny! But the fact that you absolutely sprayed him out of shock…" he laughed and then a thought occurred to him.

"Hey Kanrel," he asked, "Why _did_ you spew scotch all over Lukos?"

Kanrel struggled for an answer. "…Shock." Teak gave an irritated sigh.

"Yeah. Clearly. What I meant was: what gave you a shock?" His stare was unwavering as he waited for Kanrel to answer his question. He averted his violet eyes, away from that glacial look.

"I was in shock because…" he racked his brain for an answer that wouldn't put him in the guillotine. Teak was starting to look suspicious. "… Because I wasn't expecting you to take advantage of the new girl so quick. I mean, why so early? Why not later, when you get to know her." Kanrel wasn't sure this was the right thing to say in this club, let alone to a notorious vampire. Kanrel thought of himself as someone who belonged to circle midnight. He was bad, and he enjoyed it. So why was he so concerned about one girl? He had done worse. A lot worse than what Teak was planning.

Sometimes, they carried out their plans together: Teak took the blood for his own need and left some over to Kanrel for his spells. They worked well together, and they enjoyed it. Lukos just liked to hang around them because he was a twit that liked to look tough and cared only about girls and getting them drunk on him. He also liked beating up vermin, just for the hell of it. Kanrel thought that maybe it made Lukos feel superior in the day world as apposed to bottom of the food chain in the real world.

Teak however, was completely different. He was popular; he was good looking with his blonde hair and stark blue eyes. He followed the steps of his idol 'the Notorious, _Ash Redfern_'. He was doing a pretty damn good job of it, Kanrel thought. He got it with the ladies and they were even willing to donate (he made them forget later, of course). He was rich and he didn't give a damn what people had to say about him. Everyone except Kanrel, his best friend.

Kanrel wasn't much different from Teak. Except for the vampire thing. Kanrel wasn't a vampire. He belonged to the witch circle. Circle Midnight to be exact. Witches who fabricated powerful spells that usually involved human blood. He fit in there. He had Jet-black hair that hid his forehead and framed his violet eyes. He knew that drove the witches mad. He was tall, dark and mysterious. And he was _bad_. Kanrel was one of the few boys' that were in the witch circles, and they were treated like royalty and were very _wanted _by girls. He was a prince in circle midnight and he took advantage of that, why shouldn't he? In the Dayworld, not much changed. He was the most popular kid in high school.

Kanrel's attention was brought back to Teak, who was waving his hand inches from his face.

"Dude, I said you name like, four times!" he pestered Kanrel.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" he asked.

Teak took a sip of his Bloody Mary. Kanrel hadn't noticed when that got there. "I said, 'Why do you think I should Take advantage of the newbie later, rather than now?' And then you just kinda' drifted out of it." Kanrel took a note. He seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.

"Well, the kid she was sitting with, uh… what's-his-name? Teddy, I think. He most likely saw the way you were looking at her." Kanrel reasoned. He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince, "He would get suspicious if she suddenly disappeared and he'd tell everybody, causing us to get attention drawn straight to us." He hoped that sounded like the voice of reason and not like he was trying to dodge a bullet. Teak took it all in thoughtfully.

"Yeah," he nodded, his falling into his eyes. He unconsciously swished it to the side. "I think you're right. Not that a loser like teddy would be a problem, but its better if we play it safe." Then he considered what he just said. "Well, just play it cool anyway. First, I'll get to know her, then, I'll let her down, but secretly invite her back to my place…" Kanrel drifted out again. He nodded absently to his friend sitting across from him, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

That girl.

He just couldn't stop thinking about that damn _girl_.

Kanrel had watched her since she first walked into his English class, and barrelled into his world.

Her hips swayed hypnotically and her long ash blonde hair that fell to her waist, swished from side to side as she walked. She was the most delicate, delicious entity he had ever seen. Her face was pale with soft, lily-kissed cheeks. Her hooded eyes were like sparkling silver that gave her a faraway look. As she gracefully slid into her chair in front of his, he was done for. He was almost convinced she was also a witch but she hadn't even noticed him.

He had tried, desperately to come up with a reason to talk to her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. And then, the most spectacular thing happened…

She dropped her pencil.

He laughed softly as he heard her swear under her breath. She turned awkwardly to one side and slowly leaned over, keeping her back straight. She was having trouble trying to reach it.

He laughed a little louder.

She sighed in frustration. Her fingers were just brushing the tip.

He decided to step in then. He leaned over in his chair, quite tall enough to reach, and fully conscious of his arm brushing hers, got the pencil for her. He swore to the goddesses, it was the first time he had ever blushed because of a girl.

She began to speak.

"Hey, Fred, not that I don't appreciate it, but I can't help but wonder… You've been a real gentleman…"

All he could concentrate on was the sound of her voice. It was the most angelic sound he had ever heard.

"… why? You hardly know me." She slowly sat up and turned around. He gulped and momentarily forgot he was holding her pencil. Nor did he realise he was leaning towards her. He caught her scent: roses and hibiscus.

Apparently, she wasn't expecting him. He face said it clearly. Her eyes of startling grey were open wide, which he thought, made her all the more adorable. She had an endearing scratch that ran the length of her cheekbone. She must have put a hex on him. It was the most understandable reason as to why he was acting like a love-sick-schoolgirl.

He was sadly brought back to reality when the teacher was trying to get her attention, and failing miserably. She finally turned with a picturesque swish of her hair.

The teacher asked her a question about Shakespeare. She struggled for an answer. He decided immediately to help her out, leaning forward, tantalizingly close to her soft rosy lips, which almost made him forget what he was going to say, he whispered the answer, trying like hell to keep the hunger out of his voice.

She stammered "Sh-shakespeare?" _so adorable…_

The English teacher accepted the answer and continued with his lesson. Kanrel couldn't care any less. He was buried under this little flower's spell. He was drowning. _In through the nose, out through the mouth_, he told himself.

This was pathetic.

He had to get a grip.

As a last resort, Kanrel thought only of happy time with his best friend. Well, happy was the wrong word for it, but you got the point. Kanrel had to remind himself of who he was, what he stood for and he would not surrender to the dark side. Freakin', hippie loving Daybreakers… he shuddered at the thought of those freaks.

He suppressed a sigh of relief when the bell rang, swallowing hard on the annoying disappointment that tried to creep into his mind. But that failed as he saw her sprint towards the exit.

He tried to force the thoughts of what he's done in the past, back into his head, shouting _"Voice of reason!"_

Then finally, he made his mind go peacefully blank, ploughing any thought of whoever he was and that annoying little girl that plagued the voice of his common sense.

As he walked to his locker, he thankfully met up with his gang of himself, Teak and Lukos. Voice of reason also finally decided to show itself. He silently thanked the goddesses.

"Hey guys" Kanrel spoke tiredly to his comrades.

"Hey" they replied in unison. Obviously, he wasn't the only one having a crap day.

They all walked to the cafeteria side-by-side, Teak on Kanrel's left and Lukos on his right. The usual.

People stopped at their lockers to stare at them as they strolled passed. Also, the usual. _Who could blame them for staring?_ He asked himself. _We kick ass._ At his side, Teak was wearing his _"I'm so sexy, it hurts" _look and Lukos, his _"My place, or yours? (I'm a cocky son-of-a-bitch)" _grin, which Kanrel had to admit, greatly amused him.

Kanrel wondered what sort of look he had. _Probably bored_, he presumed numbly. _Eh, who gives a crap? It's not like I think what anybody thinks…_

He immediately regretted the thought. He probably looked annoyed now.

The three of them casually walked into the cafeteria, not taking in any of the stares that washed over them like a title wave of curious eyes. Well, _Kanrel_ didn't. But he couldn't help but wonder if a pair of silver-grey was among them. _Damn it Kanrel! Focus!_ He scolded himself.

He fought the urge too look for the infuriating blonde angel right up until they finally reached their normal table up the back. He sat, heavily in his chair and stared straight ahead.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Teak turn to look at something, _or someone…_ But he couldn't have missed Teak nodding his head in approval and the subtle lift in his cheek that indicated a wink. _He's flirting! By goddess, it better not be… _

He saw Lukos do the same._ Oh what the hell… _he gave in. He turned to look at whoever they were flirting with.

_Oh HELL no…_

It was her.

The girl from English.

The girl who unrelentingly, plagued his thoughts with impossibilities.

She sat there, her hair spilling down hair shoulders like a thin waterfall, staring at them with wide stormy eyes. He hadn't even noticed who she was sitting with, but when he did, he frowned.

That loser Fred. The one that looked at her with his puppy-like eyes, and fluffy brown hair. So unlike his own, violet shaded eyes that gave any girl a fever and his black hair that said "Bad boy. Sexy. Danger." Well, that was what his sister had told him anyway, plus several girlfriends.

So you couldn't blame him if he felt just the tiniest bit affronted by this offence. He had willingly saved her by picking up her pencil for her, and she chose to sit with that scatterbrained dope, instead of _him._ _Maybe she's just shy_, his pride told him. He listened. It sounded like a reasonable answer. Why on earth, had he gotten himself so worked up? He wondered.

He turned to Teak.

"You see that new girl sitting with Fred?" he asked quickly.

Teak didn't seem to be listening. "Who?" he asked tonelessly.

"Fred" he repeated.

"Oh, yeah" he replied, still distracted.

"What are they talking about?" and as an afterthought, "or thinking about…"

Teak turned to give him a questioning look, but answered anyway.

"Us."

Kanrel's stomach did a somersault.

"Oh…" he said in a tight voice, "really?"

"Yeah."

"Well, what are they saying?"

"Well," he said, "Freddy is jealous or something and he was trying to convince the new girl who, I think he said her name was 'Lina', that us the three of us are in a gang." He stopped, his eyes still on the table the two sat at.

"Well, that Fred kid's pretty close to the point, if you ask me" he sniggered.

"Nobody asked you" the other two replied in sync. Lukos glared at his so-called-friends.

Teak continued, "Now she's asking him what's wrong." A few moments later, he laughed.

"What?" Kanrel asked impatiently.

Teak was still laughing when he said "Oh, MAN! That has got to be the best rejection I have EVER seen!" beside him, he could see Lukos vibrating with silent laughter. Kanrel cursed his own hearing abilities.

"What!" he demanded Teak.

"Okay, so, Freddy said that he was scared we were going to take _advantage _of her because she was really pretty. Then, he looked all horror stricken because he told her she beautiful and he then thought he offended her."

_Freddy told her she was beautiful… _He tried to suppress the frown that threatened. _He'll pay…_ Kanrel refused to admit why.

_Jealous?_

He scoffed mentally. As if he, Kanrel, could be jealous of _him_, that loser that was fortunate enough that she could even _stand_ to be around him.

Teak hiccupped, trying not to laugh. "Then, he tried to comfort her by patting her on the back. But oh god! It so awkward, and then she started _laughing_ at him."

Kanrel smiled, but it fell as he saw the current situation.

They were smiling at each other. Fury was slowly building in his gut. He would do something about that. He saw Freddy blush at something she said.

_Freddy wants a girl?_

_He'll get a girl._ Jealousy reluctantly seeped into his bones that he could no longer deny.

Teak and Lukos were staring at him curiously.

"What's got your wand in a not?" asked Lukos, indicating to Kanrel's earlier expression. Teak also contributed.

"Yeah dude. You looked like murder." He grinned at the word.

The corner of Kanrel's mouth curled up in a menacing smile.

He scoffed. "I've got a few _plans_ for tonight." Kanrel said the word 'plans' in a chillingly pleasant tone, which only his friends beside him, would catch the hidden meaning.

The three of them smiled in anticipation, all the while, watching the poor, unsuspecting Freddy.

Although, that was nothing compared to what Kanrel was going to do to him after the scene he watched, while skipping geography.

"You wanna go to the club tonight Kanrel?" asked Lukos.

They were sitting/lying, aimlessly under a tree next to the baseball field, in clear view of several classrooms. Still, they hadn't been caught out yet.

"Sure," he answered in a bored manner, "right after some blood curling revenge." he continued in the same tone.

"Cool. Tonight then. The black diamond." His tanned friend replied, in an equally bored tone.

A moment later, "Where the hell's Teak?" mumbled a half asleep werewolf. "I can't smell him anywhere."

"Are you sure? He might have mixed his scent with someone else perhaps."

Lukos lifted his head to sniff the air to make sure.

"W…ait." He said slowly. "Actually, he's right over there." He lifted into a sitting position and opened his eyes. "Look."

Kanrel looked to the direction Lukos had indicated and was mildly surprised to see Teak, crouching underneath one of the windows.

Kanrel mouthed, "_What the hell are you doing._" Teak turned his head towards Kanrel. He smiled.

Kanrel internally groaned and walked over to where his vampiric friend was positioned, with Lukos following. Careful not to be caught and any teacher, they gracefully ducked when the teacher turned around. The gravel quietly scrunched beneath his shoes where they reached Teak.

"Oh. My. God." Lukos said with a stunned expression. Teak grinned. A silent conversation passed between them. Kanrel was getting frustrated.

"Care to tell me what's going on? Since I have neither smell, nor hearing that's better than vermin." He pestered Teak. He looked as if he wasn't going to tell him, then gave in.

"There's a human in there-"

"Clearly." He interrupted. He raised an eyebrow. "Your point being?"

"Not just _any_ human!" he said, bubbling with excitement, "But this one's scent… is _drenched_…" his eyes glinted in the sun, "… with blood…"

Kanrel looked back and forth between the two of them.

He had to admit, they both looked pretty convinced.

The bell rang. Students filed out of the classrooms.

The three of them hurried back to their tree, in fear of looking to conspicuous, crouching under the windows like little hoodlums up to no good.

As they walked away from the window, Lukos turned around and casually said "Oh look, it's that new girl Lina and that loser Fred."

Kanrel's head snapped around and at that fateful moment,

Fred was a dead man.

He didn't care how.

He didn't care when.

But he would not live, having been kissed by the only girl even coming close to Kanrel remotely caring about in a lapse of sanity,

Fred was dead.

"Kanrel."

…

"Kanrel!"

He jumped, the bar stool nearly fell over in his surprise. His hand groped at the bar for support.

"Goddess! You don't have to shout like that! I'm sitting right here!" he yelled at Teak.

Teak grinned.

"So you finally come back to earth, have you?" he asked, amused by Kanrel's shock and ungraceful slip. Kanrel absently noticed his friend's empty drink.

"You did it again"

Kanrel gave a confused glance at the vampire. He elaborated

"You went into the zone and didn't hear a word I was saying."

"sorry" he apologized sincerely, "I've just had a lot on my mind lately," then added, "and by hell, It's PISSING ME OFF!" Kanrel leaned his elbow on the bar and raked a hand through his mussed, jet-black hair.

"I can see that." Teak said thoughtfully. "Did you get around to doing that spell, which I presumed, you were going to do when you said '_I have a few plans for tonight'_?" Kanrel nodded. He would have thought that Teak had smelt the sent from his ingredients. Which reminded him of something he needed to ask Teak.

"By the way, did you find out who that student was?"

Teak looked at him blankly, unable to comprehend what Kanrel was trying to ask him. He rephrased.

"The human that apparently had a bloody scent…" the look on Teak's face, as understanding dawned on him, clearly implied that he had.

Kanrel looked at Teak.

Teak looked at Kanrel.

"What?" said Teak. Kanrel rolled his eyes.

"Who was it?" Kanrel was itching to find out.

Teak gave him a bloodcurdling smile. His eyes glossy in the dim lighting.

Kanrel's face fell. He suddenly didn't want to know. It couldn't be…

"Lina."

Oh! and she dropped the bombshell… anyway, sorry for keeping it so long, I had a tone of homework and this was a really long chapter. It should take me more than two weeks. I aim for one. Hope you liked, more in the next chapter of course… reviews are greatly appreciated and a special thanks to my first reviewer: Bookworm77101

Choi bellas, small cub


	3. Hunger and Scalpels

Chapter 3: Hunger and Scalpels

Disclaimer's Note: I do not own "The Night World Series" it unfortunately belongs to someone else: L.J. Smith (author mayhem, right here) anyway, bla bla the story plot however is mine. Thanks LJ

Author's note: Soooooooooooooooo sorry readers! I'm like, so over my deadline. I would use excuses but that's pathetic. So I'm just really sorry! I know this chapter isn't as long as I planned it to be, but there will be a long line of explanation in the next chapter.

Happy Reading!

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Lina walked up the three flights of stairs. She thought once a day was more than enough exercise. She held a tight grip on the banister, whilst the other hand gingerly clutched her sore stomach.

It felt like a tightly wound belt, made of scalpels.

Each step was fire.

She silently cursed whatever higher purpose existed.

_Why oh WHY did you make my mother a health nut!_

With a heaving breath, she made the last step. She glared at the blaringly white walls of the stairwell. She could swear she heard them laughing at her.

But the hardest part was yet to come.

Opening the door to mother's apartment. She wished glumly, for Freddy's unwavering energy. If it weren't for her mother, she wouldn't be standing there, at her door. It was her fault her father didn't love her enough to…

…

She reached into pocket.

She held out her spare key.

She took a breath.

The door flung open. Lina jumped about a foot in the air, which she had to admit, was very painful. She suppressed the oncoming glare and forced out polite smile.

Her mother spoke in a rushed voice, "I thought I heard someone lugging up the stairs. What are you doing just standing there?"

Lina tried to force the smile into her eyes and gave a nervous laugh. She hoped it didn't sound to shaky.

"Nothing. I guess…"

Screw it.

"Well then." Her mother replied, looking a bit awkward, "Why don't you come in and sit down." Lina nodded. As she walked into the spotless, white-walled apartment, she couldn't help but feel like she moved into the apartment of some stranger. She felt homeless.

"Do you want anything…sweetheart?" she offered her daughter, "Some tea, perhaps?"

Lina didn't like the way she said '_sweetheart_'. She no longer knew this woman. Only four years ago, she didn't want anything to do with Lina, so why was she calling her sweetheart? Did she feel that it was her obligation, as her biological mother that because she was her only living relative left, she had to say meaningless things by duty? That hurt Lina more that the belt.

"Look," she said to this woman, "You don't have to call me that because you feel like you have to."

Her mother looked shocked. She was a good actress, Lina had to admit. Quite believable.

"No, honey, of course I don't say it because I have to," She rushed, "I say it because… you're my daughter, and I love you."

Lina's fake smile became one of loathing.

She couldn't take this.

Being near this stranger who had abandoned both her and her father because she was _bored _was one thing.

Not wanting her own _daughter_ was another.

And because all of this, her father developed depression, began to hate himself _and_ Lina who had, once loved him more than the _stars_ themselves. The one person she loved more than anything, attempted to murder her and shot himself…

…All because of this… _bitch,_ sitting across from Lina on the most uncomfortable, square shaped, ugliest looking couch, she had ever seen.

Lina tried to say something to her mother, but a lump formed in her throat. She tried to glare, but her eyes burned… either from the image of her mother, or the tears that threatened to roll down her trembling chin.

Just then, the phone rang; thankfully breaking through the electricity that hummed dangerously between the short distance she sat from her mother.

Completely oblivious to her daughter's anger, she lightly excused herself to answer the phone.

"Jessica speaking," she answered. "Oh hello Vanessa!" she spoke in an excited tone, "Oh I'm very good thanks, how are you? ..." Then casting a shocked look at Lina, "Oh I almost forgot! My daughter is finally here! ... Oh I know, I can hardly believe it…" She sighed.

Lina had calmed down at this point, no longer seething, but still angry. She looked at Jessica, happily chatting to whoever was on the other line.

She was a head taller than her but her slight frame was definitely a trait Lina held. Unfortunately, she didn't have her mother's hair. Even in her thirties, her hair still shone like liquid sun, in a tightly wound bun at the back of her nape. Lina's hair was like the colour of faded dishwater that dripped sensuously down her shoulders and hung, wrung out at her paper-thin waist. Jessica had a mother's slightly rounded hips but all in all, she had a beautiful figure.

_Damn her…_

Lina came back to the one-way conversation.

"Oh, that's lovely!" her mother gushed. _Obviously,_ _these two must be friends_, thought Lina. "And how's Kanrel's schoolwork going? Oh! I do believe they're going to the same school too, isn't that wonderful! Both our kids are going to he same school!" she beamed.

…_Who the hell is _Kanrel_? Whatever,_ _it's not like we're going to be friends or anything, not if he knows my mom…_

"Oh yes… yes, I think that would be just great! So our appointment is still on? … Perfect. That way, Lina and I, " her mother glanced over at her daughter, "could have some mother/daughter _bonding_ time!" Her squealed excitedly.

Lina glared at the distant empire state building. _God, that thing's tall_, she thought unconsciously.

She still sat, unmoving.

"Okay, so we'll come by your place at the usual time… oh," she turned back to Lina, "You like plants, don't you sweetheart?"

"… Sure."

"So you'll like aroma therapy. Right?"

"…Sure." She repeated, monotonously. _Wow, the sunset really is beautiful, like the colour of my garden back home_. She sniffed_. Those lilies took forever to grow that beautiful-_

"Lina-?"

"What!" She snapped, turning at a painful angle to face her mother. She winced.

Her mother just went silent.

"Uh, I just wanted to know," Jessica asked, in a smaller voice, "if that was okay…?"

Lina's face went blank.

"…Sure. Okay, whatever you want." She answered in a tired voice.

There was a silent moment before Jessica went back to talking to her friend, in a less excited voice this time.

"Okay, well, thanks Vanessa. I better get Lina and I some dinner. See you on Wednesday. Bye." She put down the phone and helplessly stared at the kitchen tiles.

Lina was going to ask who that was but as soon as the words came to her mouth, she decided against it, seeing as she really didn't care anyway.

Her mother took a raspy sigh, suddenly looking five years older. She walked over to the couches and carefully sat down across from her daughter, putting on a sheepish smile that didn't really reach her eyes. It was off putting.

"So Lina," she asked, "What would you like for dinner, sweetheart?" her fingers nervously fidgeted with the hem of her shirt.

Lina's hand sat comfortably in her lap, however, shaking.

She looked down at her sneakers as she replied "… whatever. You choose."

Her mother looked unhappy, the fake smile slowly fading. She realised this wasn't going to be easy… but before she could make a suggestion, Lina said "Look, don't worry about it. I'm just going to go to bed."

She slowly got up and walked towards where her mother had earlier shown Lina, her room.

"Oh sweetheart, it's no trouble! I'll make whatever you want!" she called to her daughter's retreating figure.

Lina turned, already halfway down the hallway and replied, "I'm just tired, mom…" she went awkward, just saying the word. "Besides, I've had a _long_ week." She said, struggling to keep the understatement out of her voice. She continued down the hall and pushed open the door at the end.

Empty.

Well, to Lina it seemed empty. One bed. One wardrobe. One suitcase. One window. Everything except for her suitcase was sheer white and bland. Clearly her mother had always wanted everything modern and stylishly matching, but it had never occurred to Lina, that her mother could simply take the life out of everything, including inanimate objects that were, supposed to say something about that person's personality.

This room said:

Dead. White. Perfect. Modern. No room for misfits or anything colourful.

She loudly dumped her suitcase in the hallway, afraid to mess up the room's boutique. And also, she didn't want her suitcase to suddenly wash out of colour and all her belongings in it.

She took several amazed steps, into the deathly white room.

_What the hell is this! A hospital? _She thought, anger slowly dripping all the way down to her fingertips.

She took determined steps towards the closed window. She tried to open the blinds but ended up breaking them in order to get any light through.

Finally, she found the cord hanging down next to the blinds inconspicuously, and as she yanked on it once, hard, the blinds flew up. The broken ones blaringly obvious, gathered together with the others.

The room flooded with light. Not just light, but an entire city's worth of lights, shining colourful rays all over her disgusting bedroom. Below, she could hear New York's busy streets, filled with angry drivers in unmoving traffic.

Her hand gripped the plastic beaded cord.

She stared.

Staring at this, she knew…

She knew why her mother had given up her husband and child.

Marrying Lina's father, she hadn't thought of her mother as someone that cares for much for beauty.

Until now.

This unbearably beautiful city was the reason her mother abandoned her.

The reason her father got depressed.

Why her father died.

A tear had tediously escaped from her tired eyes and was rolling down her flushed cheeks.

The blinds suddenly broke, and rapidly fell down, inches from Lina's nose, taking all the colourful light with it, only little remaining, due to the few broken ones.

The beaded cord, lay in a messy pile at her feet, a small remainder of the cord, still possessed in her white knuckled fist.

"_There_," she snarled at the broken blinds, "_now everything matches!"_

Suddenly aware that her waist was feeling a bit damp, she turned away from the window and walked over to her suitcase to grab her toiletry bag.

She entered the (what do you know) white marbled bathroom and chucked her bag on the counter. Pulling her shirt carefully over her head, she examined the bandage.

The blood had seeped through this one, staining it a bright rosy red, which was bound to be noticeable through her clothes. She slowly unwound it and securing it in toilet paper, threw the used dressing in the bin.

Her waist looked like she went overly emo on it. There were uneven slashes that covered her stomach. Some glinted in the light.

As she stared at the ragged cuts, she felt both sickened and strangely attached. She looked away. After applying some disinfectant, she gathered the gauze that lay next to the sink, and wrapped it painfully around her wounds to keep them from being noticed, or infected.

While she was there, she also brushed her teeth and then went to put on some pyjamas, i.e. large sweatshirt + loose pants.

As Lina lay in her cold new bed, she couldn't help the fire that continued to burn behind her eyes, and the lump that kept trying to form in her throat.

Blood trickled from seeping gashes, as nightmares stole away much needed sleep.

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Kanrel's headache relentlessly, continued to throb. It felt like war of the worlds inside his very head.

_Note to self: Alcohol = Bad. School night = school in morning._ But this just made his headache pound harder in his skull, as if it were saying_ "No Kanrel! You love alcohol! Don't leave me!" screw you._ He replied.

Finally, Kanrel noticed someone was trying to get his attention. He had been holding his head in his hand. When he removed it, he saw it was Teak.

He was smiling.

_Damn you._ Kanrel directed at the gleaming vampire.

His friend had caught onto the thought and only laughed at him.

"What the hell is so funny" He growled.

"You look like shit." Teak cheerfully replied. Seemingly oblivious to the glare Kanrel blast him.

"Don't you have like, herbs for that, or something?" the vampire asked curiously. They were sitting in the cafeteria at their usual spot. Lukos had ditched them for some bird that was rumoured to apparently be wearing a thong that could be spotted when she bent over.

"Yeah, but by the time I got up, school had already started and I didn't have time to use any, besides, mom would have killed me if she saw what I was doing anyway." Kanrel rubbed his temples, muttering spell's to make the hangover piss the hell off.

He also cursed himself for being up that late, working on Freddie's spell…

Then something had caught his eye.

Teak was utterly focused on something. He had that look that vampires get when they spied their kill.

He raised his eyebrows in confusion. Teak didn't respond. His eyes glinted in the cafeteria's light. His chin slightly lifted and he inhaled a deep breath through his nose, shivering slightly.

Kanrel thought about trying to get his attention but at his look, he decided against it. He simply followed the direction of his friend's view to…

A group of cheerleaders walked over, obstructing his view.

_Damn it. What could he possibly be looking at?_ Kanrel thought in annoyance. In a different situation, he would have pleasantly enjoyed the scenery but in this case, he willed desperately for the girls to move.

Kanrel gave up. _Plan B it is…_

"What are you looking at?" he said lamely. Teak just continued to stare, unseeing and unaware that his tongue slowly crept out to lick his upper lip. One of the cheerleader's saw that and blushed like there was no tomorrow.

"_Is someone bleeding? No, Teak wouldn't react like this to a small amount of bleeding. It has to be something else, a murder perhaps?"_ Kanrel couldn't figure it out; it just didn't make any sense…

Wait…

"…_a human drenched in blood"_ Teak had said to him.

_Lina…_

Suddenly, Kanrel's chair flew to the ground.

He had stood up, so impulsively, that several of the cheerleaders and a few others had jumped in surprise. He had even caught Teak's attention.

But here he was just standing there like a dimwit.

"Party at Teak's house Saturday night!" He yelled, "Come if you're game!" The whole cafeteria burst out hooting and cheering at the sudden invitation.

Kanrel loved being popular.

You could act like an idiotic moron and no one would give you shit about it.

The crowd was still cheering when Teak asked him what that was all about.

"Well, I was having a slight bit of trouble, trying to get your attention." He said as he replaced the chair in its earlier spot, and sat down.

"So you invited everyone to a party at my place?"

"Yeah. It's not like you'd have a problem with that." He gave teak a sly look. He was pretty sure his _parents_ wouldn't mind in the slightest.

"Well, I don't. It's just that something's bothering _you_" he replied, looking at his friend suspiciously.

Kanrel hurried to argue his point, "Well, I was trying to get _your_ attention, but something seemed to be bothering _you_" and as an afterthought, he added "or maybe some_one_…" He mockingly put a hand under his chin and the other on his hip, feigning contemplation.

Teak was about to reply, when he got that look again. He inconspicuously sniffed and by the look of his eyes rolling back into his head, he was rewarded with whatever he was looking for.

Kanrel's eyes hungrily ate through the crowd, searching for that one face that never failed to bewitch anyone dumb enough to look.

Kanrel wasn't one of those people.

He couldn't be.

It was against every fibre in his body, to even think of such a blasphemous thought.

Teak stood up. He whispered, "I'll be right back" in a hungry voice.

"Wait!" he rushed, unthinkingly. "Where are you going?"

Teak looked at Kanrel. His dagger like, eyes, stabbing holes in Kanrel's soft, velvety violets. Kanrel forced his mind blank.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" he snarled, in a hushed voice. "Don't try and hide it from me, I know something's up"

"I'm just bored that's all" he lied. It seemed like a reasonable answer.

"You're a liar, that's what you are." Teak countered, a sly smile beginning to appear. "You can tell anything, you know. I won't tell…"

Kanrel glowered at Teak.

"Hangover-"

"Wong answer" he interrupted, smiling playfully now that he had someone to tease. Kanrel mashed his lips together, his frown becoming more pronounced.

"You" he growled.

Teak contemplated silently for a moment, then "Well…" he laughed, "it is now." He stood out of his chair. Kanrel was reluctant to follow him this time, but he finally gave in and stood up too.

It wasn't until they had gotten out of the cafeteria and they were walking down the locker hall, that Kanrel had noticed that Teak was in a rush. He hadn't even noticed that they weren't even heading in the direction of their next class.

But as Kanrel was about to ask, Teak had stopped, and an unreadable expression clouded his face. He was sniffing the air.

"I'm not a mind reader, you know!" Kanrel said, annoyance rolling off him in waves. Teak looked at him, without really seeing him.

"I want her." Growled savagely. The desire was tangible.

"I want her_, bad…_ I don't know if I can wait. I just want _to take her_!"

He tried to hide the utter shock when Teak slammed his hands, none to kindly, against the lockers either side of Kanrel's head.

If there were one lesson in life, it would be:

Don't let the vampire loose it.

Shit.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this seriously late chapter (sorry), there will be a lot more in the next chapter, including: a twist, a twist, and finally Kanrel and Lina meeting in the most awkward way possible (not in that order). Yay. And more info on poor Freddie's situation. As you know already, I'm not so good at deadlines so I'll just get the next chapter in a quick as I can. Thank you

Choi bellas


	4. A Mental Workout

_A/N: Hello everyone! Smallcub would love to present to you: the fourth chapter! Including one particular intense moment that younger viewers may want to turn back now if it makes them uncomfortable. If not: ENJOY. I would like to thank my reviewers: __**CaR17, moonANDtheStarsAbove, Vi**__**olet, **__**skye063926638**__**, **__**bookworm77101**__and__**I-Got-A-Screename663**__**.**_

_Happy Reading! xD_

Chapter 4: A Mental Workout

…..

Lina's pale reflection stared back at her.

She had lost weight. She couldn't deny it any longer. Her clothes hung on her body. Her hair looked washed out.

Lina didn't care much about her appearance, but she did her best to ignore the shredding pain.

She winced. _Give it up Lina, you're only killing yourself, _she thought helplessly.

"Shut up!" she screamed at the mirror. She really was losing it.

Lina closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, counting to ten. When she opened them, the gaze of hapless teenager with red-rimmed eyes stood facing her in an empty girls bathroom. The reflection said she was tired and hurting.

_Is that what Freddie saw?_ Lina thought, _the kid really is a nut job. What the fudge convinced him I was 'beautiful'?_

The girl in the mirror shook her head.

He hadn't been at school this morning, which was slightly inconvenient, because she desperately needed a distraction and let's face it, he's the definition of the word.

_Where was he today? _She asked herself_. Maybe he's still embarrassed about what happened on Monday…_

She had kissed Freddie… The first day they met… On her first day of school.

_Well done Lina, well done._ She thought sarcastically. _You know just how to make friends, don't you?_

And not to mention she was already drooling over a boy who had just generously picked up her pencil she hopelessly dropped. Lina didn't even know his name.

Fabulous.

_Ugh. Quit thinking about him you dope, _she scolded herself, silently this time.

Lina tugged her T-shirt over her bandage, and turned away from the grim reflection. Taking one more reassuring breath, she held her head high and walked out of the girls bathroom…

She could hear someone shouting as she pushed the door open.

"…I just want _to take her_!"

Lina walked into the locker hall just as the ridiculously attractive blonde guy violently smashed his fists on the locker either side of the head of the droolingly gorgeous boy from English.

The door loudly announced shutting behind her and at that moment, both boys momentarily forgot about whatever argument they were having, snapped their heads to stare at her.

The sudden attention of the two hottest guys in the entire school and probably anyone she's ever known, was somewhat… intimidating. The guy inbetween the locker and the other hot guy, opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out and if they did… she wouldn't have heard them because she was already running in the direction of her locker… and safety.

...

The end of the day was too much for Lina. She had Gym. Pretty self-explanatory.

And she was highly unprepared for whom she had found out to be in her class.

Yep. You guessed it.

She couldn't decide on being either thrilled, or face palming (after running about a hundred miles in the opposite direction).

Lina had put off going and waited until the change room was completely empty so she could dress in peace. She dressed slowly, struggling with the white polo and dawdled putting her shoes on. Fifteen minutes later, she headed in the direction of the school Gym, only twenty minutes later; she was told that her class was in the weights room.

And she thought this was going to be easy, well… easy compared to this.

Especially late, she trudged into the brightly lit room filled with various fitness equipment. Lina had come in un-noticed, due to the large crowd surrounding a student lying on a bench press, lifting a colourful amount of heavy weights. The student had blonde, rock star hair and didn't seem to be breaking a sweat. Unbelievable.

Through the crowd of all the other students, she immediately recognised one in particular.

To her astonishment, they recognised her too.

He nodded.

Lina's lip trembled against her will. She guessed she was probably as bright as a tomato. To avoid any other embarrassment, she swiftly escaped the horde of students to an un-occupied corner of the weights room, where she began to breathe again.

She took in all the equipment. There was a pile of dumbbells, a blue exercise ball and an old bench press that was situated near the window. She had already wasted half the lesson and now had to find some way to occupy herself for another forty-five minutes.

While she pondered this, she became unaware of the footsteps behind her and nearly tripped over the dumbbell pile when she heard a low voice above her ear.

"Need spotting?" he asked casually, oblivious to how his voice affected poor Lina.

He grabbed the back of her T-Shirt to steady her.

"Um" she racked her brain for a reasonable excuse. Instead, she decided to avoid it. "Aren't you spotting… uh-?"

Teak?" he offered. He turned and pointed to the hooting mass of students that cheered on the boy called Teak.

"Okay, fair point."

"And" he continued, "If he needed spotting, there would be plenty of willing slaves."

Lina murmured agreement.

He looked down at her, flashing a smile that angels would kill for.

"So you're new here, huh?"

Lina thought she would die. _What a stupid question, of course I'm new!_ She had hoped for a more interesting conversation than this, if any. _Hell._ _Why do people have to be so melancholy?_

"Yes."

There was a silence. He seemed to be struggling for conversation topics. His expression said it clearly.

"So, do you like it here?"

Okay.

So Lina couldn't blame him if he was gorgeous and popular, because clearly, popular kids had so many fans that would do anything just to talk to them, so they hardly needed to be the conversation starters. All they had to do was give answers. _Just like a robot._ She thought absently.

"… Do you need something?" she asked. She was careful not to look at his eyes, so she stared at his nose.

His mouth fell open. Another awkward silence fell on them both as Lina waited for the boy to catch the hint. He wasn't looking at her, she realised. He was looking around the corner they were in.

"Can you spot me?" he blurted out, suddenly. He couldn't be serious. She couldn't spot someone else when she could hardly lift a bar. But of course _he_ didn't know that.

"I… can't spot… very well." It was as close to the truth as it was going to get. Lina hoped for him to finally take the hint. _This guy's persistent._

"I don't really need spotting as much as the next guy, it's just precautionary" he gave her a sheepish smile and walked over to the bench, not even waiting for her reply. She suppressed a long sigh, and reluctantly followed.

Standing above him, she readied her shaky hands on the cold metal bar. _Please, please don't let him drop it._ She prayed nervously.

Lina couldn't help but notice the beautiful violets in her peripheral vision. She focused on the jet-black strands of hair that acted as a curtain over his forehead and gradually sloped down into his eyes... _Don't look!_ She commanded herself as she quickly averted her view to dumbbell pile.

"Ready when you are" he said in his hypnotic, low voice.

She gulped.

"You're the one lifting the weights." Lina reminded him, in her annoyingly soft voice. She hated feeling fragile. Let alone looking.

He laughed, inevitably causing Lina to suck in an unsteady breath, and effortlessly lifted to bar off the hooks and back up.

That was when she noticed his arms.

_Oh god. _

He was breathing easily and steadily, lifting the bar up and down in a regular pattern. He didn't take his eyes off her the whole time.

Lina struggled to keep distracted. She looked at the other equipment, the bar, and the swarm around Teak. But by far, the worst mistake was glancing at his lips.

He was grinning. His white teeth were so perfect that it should have been illegal for him to smile at anyone like he did. Above his upper lip, he was beginning to sweat. His breath was becoming rougher. The muscles in his arms rippled with strength as he continued to rhythmically move the weight between himself and Lina. She felt her whole body begin to tremble. She tried to focus on a bead of sweat on his forehead. Her grip on the bar was becoming shockingly slippery. She was feeling light headed.

_This is torture! _Lina licked her drying lips. She could taste the sweat. _Hang in there!_ She pleaded.

But his breathing just continued to roughen. His rhythm never faltered.

Her hands rested uselessly on the metal as it shifted upwards, and down. Upwards… and down.

Her hands so close to his own. His knuckles were white and his palm red with pressure. Distantly, as if in another world, she could hear the other students, still cheering on Teak.

There were no students here.

No cheering, just them, un-noticed…

Alone…

Lina's breath became raspy. It was just about all she could take when the leather material of the bench, beneath his sweaty weight, began to squeak.

"I think we should take a break," she said breathlessly. He laughed and replaced the bar in its holder.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, her voice alittle shaky.

Still taking heaving breaths, he shook his head.

"I didn't think spotting someone could be so physically demanding" he replied, "but I guess you could be wrong." He continued to look at her with his infuriating smile, still chuckling beneath his breath.

"_You have no idea._" She mumbled.

Lina was in fact, sweating, having difficulty breathing and light headed. Her pulse was so high, she thought she would never get any sleep tonight.

Whoever said spotting this guy was easy, was _so wrong._ She slowly took in the other physical aches she hadn't noticed before. Her waist was feeling damp, so that must mean…

_Shit!_

She quickly glanced down at her abdomen, not even caring if anyone noticed. She was wearing a white polo, how could she have forgotten about this! To her relief, there was only a small blotch beginning to appear. The bandage was only slightly visible.

Lina, in the blink of an eye, had crossed her arms over her tummy, as if to look annoyed. As a grand stroke of luck, he hadn't noticed a thing. He was busy wiping his face with a miniature towel.

"Hey," he asked, beginning to wipe off the bench, "are you going to Teak's party on Saturday night?"

Luckily, before she could reply, the blonde haired guy named Teak walked over followed by a few students, promptly interrupting the conversation.

"Well no wonder the room is melting…" he said, glancing at Lina, his blue eyes like sky. "Because this babe's so hot, she'd make even the devil sweat." There was a sudden hush that fell over weights room. Even the students across the room had gone silent. Lina looked at the boy sitting on the bench. His face was blank, his fists white.

She looked back at the beaming rock star, who looked thoroughly pleased with himself. He reminded Lina of a younger version of her mom; Popular, dangerously good looking, got whatever she wanted and if she got tired of something, she'd leave it. Not caring if she hurt others, because she had everything. To Lina, this boy just looked like a pathetic repeat.

Realisation suddenly dawned on her.

"…Oh. Was that a pick-up line?" she asked the blonde.

There was a wave of gagging that rolled across the room. The boy didn't seem to be affected.

"If you want it to be, then I'm yours." He finished with a seductive smile.

Lina blinked twice.

"…Oh… So then it's _not _a pick-up line?" she said, enjoying his slow reaction. Then in a cheerier voice "Well, I'm glad we got that sorted out then."

There was utter silence.

The gorgeous blonde looked as if she'd just informed him his mother had died in a car crash. She slowly looked in the other boy's direction. She couldn't see his face; his dark hair covered it like a velvet curtain. He didn't seem to be breathing.

It looked as if no one had anything else to say, so she took that as her cue to leave.

Arms still folded over her chest, she walked, head held high, out of the weights room. The room was so quiet, her footsteps seemed to echo in her head. The uncomfortable silence made Lina feel like she had just signed a death sentence.

For someone who did absolutely nothing in gym class, she was beyond physically tired.

Faces stared as the ash headed girl exited the room. She felt her exhaustion like the weight she had lost.

…

It was tiresome, sitting in the waiting room, bored out of his mind.

He looked around the room. On a cream coloured coffee table sat a messy pile of magazines and a round coffee stain. There were two frame pictures that hung on the walls; both were drawn by, what he guessed, five-year olds.

His mother stood at the receptionist's desk, discussing some paperwork and appointments with a lady wearing large round glasses.

Freddie's arm was getting sore. He couldn't hold the towel up to his nose anymore. But if he didn't, he would once again be soaked with nose blood.

His mother turned around and called out to him.

"Lets go Fred."

Relieved to finally get up and get out of this depressing place, he bounded along to his mother and they walked out of the automatic doors, and into the carpark.

His mother unlocked the blue Honda with a remote attached to her keys. Freddie opened his door with both his leg and one arm. He got in and the door fell shut behind him.

He turned to his mom.

"Sabotage." His voice was nasally and muffled by the towel. His mother turned her head.

"What?"

"This wasn't an accident."

"What wasn't an accident?" she asked, flicking the key in the ignition. The engine purred to life.

"You know what the doctor said." They reversed out of the parking space and rolled at a snail's pace, towards the exit. "He said that it was an extremely rare case of nose bleed." He continued.

His mother looked as if she was having trouble understanding.

"I heard what the doctor said, Freddie bear." He cringed hearing his mother's baby name for him. "But was has any of that got to do with sabotage?"

"Someone did this to me on purpose!" he exasperated. His mom's eyes grew wider, and then sympathetic. She spoke in a gentle voice.

"Freddie, sweetie, no one did this to you on purpose." She reached over, patting her son gently. "Your just special, that's all. No one has a grudge against you that they would _magically_ put a spell on you, to make you have nosebleeds. It would be pointless," and added as an afterthought "… and very bizarre."

Freddie rolled his eyes. His mother knew nothing about voodoo.

_That's what it is!_ He thought, _Voodoo…_

He would get to the bottom of this. He knew some people still practised witchcraft as some sort of weird religion. He would go to a library and research. He would figure this out.

And then a thought struck him like a lightning bolt.

_Lina…_

The day after he'd met her, the nosebleeds began. It was the only reasonable answer! He had been perfectly healthy and fit since childhood, but the next day after kissing Lina…

_She must be a witch!_ He thought with excitement. _Maybe putting some kind of nosebleed spell on me is a way of saying I'm hers!_

Freddie's growing anticipation only fuelled his desire to see Lina again. He couldn't even begin to explain how awesome it was that his girlfriend was a witch. Maybe she put a hex on him, if she did, he didn't care.

As Freddie held the blood soaked towel to his nose, he thought of all the wonderful perks of having a witch as a girlfriend. He decided, the next time he saw her, he would express his deeper feelings and tell her he didn't care of what she was. For some unexplainable reason, Freddie knew, deep in his gut, that this was the work of witchcraft.

And he didn't give a damn.

…

_A/N: thanks for sticking with me, hope you liked this chapter. I would very much love to have your opinion! Or what you think might happen next. All reviews welcome __and in the next chapter (which I will be straight on), there will be: something on the obsessive Teak, a tonne of LinaxKanrel plus another twist, and of course, who could forget about our dear Freddie! Anyways… review, review please! xD_

_Smallcub_


	5. Aromatherapy

Chapter 5: Aromatherapy.

School on Wednesday, was a blur. A hazy fog of running and hiding. Lina's thoughts were no different. He was always there, at the edge of her thoughts, waiting for her to loose concentration. The slightest stray thought of his eyes or his lips or _anything_ and she would be done for. Down the rabbit hole. Gone.

Even now, in History, she focused solely on keeping her thoughts in check. Plus keeping an eye out for any sign that he was near. So she could run. Lina couldn't explain way she felt the need to be miles away from… _him._ She couldn't risk having feelings for him. He was one of those people. The people that love you like your favourite video and when they've gotten bored and find something more interesting, suddenly you're not good enough and you're chucked in the 'boring pile'.

How could she even have such thoughts about a disgusting person? He was filth. A user.

A person like Jessica.

Lina squeezed her eyes shut. _Think happy thoughts. Think happy thoughts!_ An image of bright colours and flowing grass, rolling in a gentle wind, filled her eyelids, chasing away any other thoughts of unhappiness. Her history lesson could wait, and for that one moment, she let herself daydream of a different world.

A blue and sunny sky filled her mind as it drifted in and out of her beautiful garden. She could remember how it felt when the wind lightly kissed her hair and cheeks when she stood in the fresh air, inhaling the many subtle perfumes on the wind. Her father's truck was playing an old rock song on the radio, as he washed it proudly.

She turned to face her father. He was crouched on the gravel of the driveway, scrubbing away with soap. He finally noticed his daughter, standing in her haven of colour and beauty. He paused and smiled, the lines around his eyes becoming more pronounced. The stubble on his chin looked scratchy, like the way she knew and loved. "Come here, Kiddo." His words were raspy, but covered with honey and warm feelings.

The girl in her mind walked happily towards her father, welcoming his wet and soapy hug. His chin scratched her cheek, the way it always did when she hugged her dad. The memory of his scent filled her nose; aftershave and his truck's seat covers. A sudden chill shook her body. Her father looked up at the sky, his features becoming mournful.

The peaceful garden filled with shadow as she looked towards the darkening sky. A raindrop fell on her nose, but her father did not laugh. The raindrops began to patter lightly on his truck until soon it fell harder and water streamed down their heads, soaking her and her father as they sat helplessly in the drenched garden. She could see distant lightning beyond the trees and her tiny body trembled with fear. She knew it was coming, so she clung to her father, inhaling the memory of him until she couldn't breathe. And then she heard it, the one thing that would forever haunt her of painful memories. The rumbling thunder shook her garden for what seemed like forever, and when she opened her eyes, there was no sight of her father. Only grey skies and an empty truck.

Lina was blissfully blasted out of her daydream by the bell.

Students around her hurried for the door, eager to get out of the boring History lesson. Lina was among them.

The rest of the day continued in a similar fashion, except this time, she held thorough restraints on her thoughts like a weight on paper.

* * *

The beginning of Kanrel's Spanish class was like listening to a broken record. A fair amount of what the teacher said, he already knew. Having multicultural friends did that to you. Not that he studied or anything.

He looked over at Teak, who was pretending to pay attention but was probably searching someone's thoughts for something interesting. Teak looked at Kanrel.

"What's up?" he mouthed to Teak.

Instead of replying, Teak simply nodded in the direction of a wimpy looking kid sitting in front of Kanrel. He was short and had a boyish looking face with pimples. Although that wasn't exactly what he noticed first.

It was the fact that his pants were halfway down his ass and his crack was making a star appearance.

Kanrel's eyebrows flew to his hairline. He wasn't sure if he was either shocked or mildly repulsed. Then, opportunity flashed in front of his very eyes. His finger inched towards one of his pencils. He looked over at Teak, who was grinning and subtly nodding his head.

Kanrel carefully took hold of the tip between his thumb and his forefinger and lifted it into the small space between himself and the kid…

And without skin contact, he swiftly rammed the pencil down the crevice, watching amused as the kid jumped out of his chair, knocking all of his work off the table. He screamed and fell face first onto the floor, as he tried to reach his backside to retrieve the pencil.

The entire class erupted in laughter. Kanrel held his fist up to his mouth in order to contain his gagging. Teak laughed unabashed, as the red-faced kid held out the pencil in a white fist. Eyes down, he thrust the pencil in Kanrel'sdirection, as if to give it back to him.

Kanrel smiled and simply said, "You can keep it." The kid chucked the pencil on the floor and glumly sat back in his chair, head down.

For the rest of the day, school was as boring as it could get. When the bell finally rang, Kanrel was already at his motorbike, fiddling with his helmet. He hopped on the sleek black seat and revved the engine, just once to hear its delicious purr. He saw teenagers just beginning to file out of the building, so he gladly took first leave.

The traffic wasn't as bad as usual, but he still managed to enjoy zooming between angry drivers. One reason he loved his bike.

Kanrel arrived home and parked in the alleyway between his apartment and the shop next to it. He bounded up the stairs. Kanrel reached into the pocket of his expensive dark jeans and began fiddling with his keys. Finally finding the right one, he rammed it into the lock, eager to just sit on the couch and enjoy some sweet nothings.

In his haste, the key broke.

He stared at the broken piece of crappy metal with a look that he hoped to smoulder the key into its liquid form. At least then it could be slightly less useless.

Kanrel began shouting a long line of curses that were both highly blasphemous and physically impossible. In the after silence, he resorted to plan B.

It wasn't part of the plan to explain to his mother, why both back windows, and his mother's (very expensive) kettle were smashed and his motorbike was rammed through the (now destroyed) back door. Not that his mother deserved it but house sure did.

As it turned out. Plan B was:

Throw remainder of the key at back window.

Climb through broken window.

Get angry and smash other window.

Futilely kick the back door

Throw a kettle at it, so the kettle smashes but the door remains undamaged.

Climb out window, run down stairs, spend twenty minutes trying to ride motorbike up the stairs, and finally smash the door to smithereens with 400 hoarse power, but get the motorbike stuck.

Yeah. Kanrel also thought it sound like a good idea at the time.

"Oh… _Goddess_!" his mother screamed, as she surveyed the scene. "What the _hell_did you do to my kitchen!" She ran towards the scattered remains of the kettle, bent down, soon finding a motorbike rammed in the doorway, she froze and stared open mouthed. Kanrel could swear he saw her eye twitch.

"Uh… the door wouldn't open…" Kanrel replied in a hushed voice, "… so I attacked the house-"

"I have clients tonight, Kanrel!" she yelled "and I am not cancelling another appointment because of you! Clean this mess up!" his mother stormed out of the room, leaving Kanrel to make up with the house. He walked over to a large portion of a broken kettle and unceremoniously, kicked it out the broken window.

"_Goal!" _he whispered to himself. He imitated crowds cheering. After a few more points were scored, his mother came in, carrying a dustpan and a matching broom.

"Do it properly!" She thrust them at his chest. Kanrel mumbled and as soon as she walked out, kicked another goal.

Sometime later, Kanrel was taking the last of the broken shards of glass down to the dumpster when he heard the doorbell ring and people talking. It sounded like one of his mother's friends. Vermin friends. He couldn't understand what his mother got out of talking to day-worlders'. He rolled his eyes and slumped back up the stairs and climbed over the motorbike. He'd take care of that later. He walked over to the cupboard to get some Mac and cheese. Kanrel was surprised to find a small glint of light moving around the cupboard. He turned to see what was giving that reflection and what he found there made both his heart stop and thunder away.

There was a young girl standing at the sink. She had long ash blonde hair and she was wearing a red shirt and infuriating, tightly fitting jeans. In her hands, she was slowly twirling around a sharp cutting knife, like she was hexed by it.

"Sorry, if I'm interrupting something" Kanrel said, "but I think you should put the knife down."

The girl stopped and twirled the knife at an angle that revealed her frightened eyes. Kanrel smiled.

She gasped and threw the knife clumsily, making a clattered noise on the tiled floor. She spun around, her hair whipping her face and clutched the edge of the sink.

"Close enough, I guess." He laughed.

"Stalker!" she gasped. Her chest was heaving.

"That was just what I was going to say, except in maybe, nicer words." Kanrel replied, walking over and bending down to pick up the knife. He replaced it in the drying rack. Kanrel could hear her breathing. It… wasn't right… somehow…

"Do you have asthma?" he asked suddenly.

She gave him a confused look and replied in a taught voice "No."

"Hmm…" he mumbled to himself.

There was another moment of silence.

"Are you stalking me?" Kanrel asked, half serious.

"No!" she snapped, "Why?" He looked at her eyes but she looked away, like she always does. He ached for those stormy eyes to look at his.

"Oh, well, you were playing with quite a sharp knife." As he said this, she blushed, "And I live here." At these words, her face crumbled into despair. He couldn't fathom why but it looked as if she just discovered the meaning to life, a day-worlder's life anyway,

"so… that means: Vanessa is your mom?" she asked in a small voice.

"Ah, yes…"

"Oh my god! Then that means…" she trailed off, as if the words were too unspeakable to speak of.

"Hey, my mom isn't that bad" then upon looking back at the wedged motorbike, "well, this afternoon maybe…-"

"Why is there a motorbike" she asked, "in your kitchen?" she looked back at Kanrel, her eyes adorably confused. Kanrel almost forgot to answer.

"My key broke, so I assaulted the house with my motorbike." When Kanrel replied she gave give him a weird look, like he was some strange species of monkey. Then he realised what he had just said, so he couldn't blame her. At least she looked at him.

"So, what brings you here to my humble abode?" Kanrel asked cheerfully.

"You mean your garage?" she indicated to the motorbike.

"What can I say? I was pissed." And offended.

"No shit…" she said in a slightly stunned voice. Only slightly.

And at that moment, his mother and one of her clients walked into the kitchen, laughing and smiling.

"Lina," The blonde lady cried cooed, "There you are! We've been waiting for y-" and upon noticing Kanrel standing partly in the pantry, "Oh, hello Kanrel, I didn't see you standing there." She looked back and forth between himself and Lina. "Oh, I see you've met Kanrel, Lina. Already making new friends at a new school, that's great!...is that" she trailed off "a… motorbike?"

Kanrel's mother suddenly remembered what had happened early that afternoon and sprang in front of her friend.

"Oh, ah, that" she laughed nervously. "_Kanrel_" she hissed between clenched teeth, "I thought you were going to clean this up!"

"eh…" he shrugged, unaffected by his mother's glare.

She hastily turned back to her friend. "I'm so sorry about this Jessica!" she Laughed, "I haven't gotten around to booking my son into some counselling yet."

Kanrel's mouth fell open. _That traitor! How dare she say that about me! And to stupid vermin too!_

Despite himself, he took a nervous glance at Lina's reaction.

She wasn't even looking at them. She was staring at the kitchen floor, unhappily.

For a single moment in time, Kanrel forgot about what his mother said and completely focused on her. He desperately wanted to know what made her upset. The look in those… sad, grey eyes… almost… hate…?

Reality crashed down on him. He was in his kitchen. Staring at Lina. Ignoring a snide comment his own mother made about him.

He looked back at his mom. She was gently urging her friend back into the hallway and at the last moment, sent Kanrel a look that he'd seen before. The look that said, _"I win, and there's more where that came from if you dare threaten my kitchen again" _Kanrel just glared at the empty space they had been standing in.

"Lina! Are you coming?" Jessica's voice echoed from the hallway.

Kanrel turned his attention back to the small blonde. Her eyes were closed but her expression and body language clearly gave away that she didn't want to be here. Kanrel felt a sudden pang of confusion and affront.

What was the deal with this girl? Why did she make him feel all these emotions? How come she never looked at him? Girls would willingly line up for tickets if Kanrel would gaze at them all day. This girl cringed every time their eyes met. It was _infuriating_ for a person like himself_._

Not to mention… Why was he even infuriated in the first place? This girl was nothing to him. A stupid, emotional, teenage girl. A hopeless romantic, swooning at the idea of finding love in high school and having the perfect romance. Like another other girl he'd met, but in specifics, verim.

Who was he kidding? She was the once-in-a-lifetime person, specifically put on this earth for the sole purpose of making his life confusing, maddening and lets face it, hell.

"Ugh" she groaned.

Kanrel's gaze shot back to her eyes. Lina took a deep breath and opened her eyes. They were now a steely grey, hard and sharp. She faced the hallway reluctantly and sleepily walked into the hallway, but before her face was out of site, she rotated her head to give Kanrel a stiff look.

"What are you looking at?" she sneered. The look only lasted a second. Then she was gone.

Friends?

Oh yeah.

Lina could make friends.

She could kiss them too.

Kanrel?

Oh yeah.

Only the most popular guy in school.

Doesn't choose his friends.

They choose him.

Lina?

Only makes friends with people she prefers.

Kanrel?

He ain't one of them.

* * *

_Author's note: ...okay. im soooooooooooooooooooo sorry this chapter is reallllllly late. and i cant sleep at night, thinking about how poor freddie missed out on this chapter! well, i have something for him in store, dont you worry people. i know, kanrel is bit of a lunatic, but i luv him (who doesn't assault innanimate objects when they get pissed? seriously?). there wasn't much of lina, i just wanted to show everyone about how she loves her daddy and how she is dealing (poor baby :( ). next chapter: who likes parties at Teak's house? (mememememeee!) and we all love some random declaring their love for witches... in front of night people too. who doesn't just LOVE freddie bear! _

THANK YOU REVEIWERS! and special thanks to those who put in some slight effort to tell me to hurry up. they are the ones that got me going, thank you. yay reveiwers: **VnmBrnedHeartxxxtwilol, fan, v823queen, theblacksheepinme, megahuuuuuuuugefan, jordanfrey31, Naomi, islandkarma531, ForsakenBunnies' **woot woot!

p.s. sorry im also late with author's note. i had like a billion things to do yesterday and when i finally posted the chapter, it was like 11pm and the computer deleted the authors note that i had written, so i got really pissed but i couldn't do anything cause i had school in the morning... so here it is! thank you lovelies for waiting...

small-cub


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